First let me say I was going to wait and see if I could get the shop bonused towards the end of the month since they seemed to have relaxed the rotation.
However, I had a guest from out of town that wanted to go. The bill for three of us was $66.26 before tip. Even for the two lowest priced entrees and soda, it would have already exceeded the reimbursement by $2 before tax and tip.
So here goes. I place the call ahead seating call and am told forty to fifty minutes. We arrive early and wait. I go in and inquire and am told it's only been fifty-one minutes since I had called in and people were lingering at the tables.
We're finally seated sixty-one minutes after I got the call ahead confirmation text. We go inside and the restaurant is half empty. I don't mean like tables that haven't been bussed yet, but tables that haven't been used. A whole aisle behind the bar is empty.
I wonder if they are only doing half capacity due to the new Covid strain. I haven't seen any announcement that requires less than full capacity in Upstate NY.
Perhaps they can't get staff. Our waitress said this was only her third day out of training. She was unaware of offering a first time visitor a sampler plate of their sides. She said she would have to ask, but never mentioned it again. There is even a question on the report about the treatment of first time visitors.
It took us sixteen minutes to get our sodas and thirty three minutes to get our food from the time the waitress left with our order.
A manager never stopped by. You can tell because the hostess that seats you tapes a paper to the table that the manager takes when they visit.
I had thought about looking for a manager to complain to, but I have read the thread on the reimbursement only meal that was comped. Texas Roadhouse is an expenses only $35. There is no shop fee.
It's the first time I said I would not recommend or come back to this location.
I hope this isn't the start of a trend.
I had the filet salad as mentioned in another thread, and I would highly recommend it. It's $4 less than the 6 oz. filet. The meat is very tender and the salad is a well balanced mixture of ingredients.